Cairo, Aug 16 (IANS): An Egyptian court Saturday sentenced 10 supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi to life imprisonment for damaging public property and blocking roads during a protest last year, state-run MENA news agency reported.

The Mansoura criminal court sentenced six of the 10 defendants in absentia.

The authorities in Alexandria and Sharqia Saturday held in custody 23 members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group for inciting riots.

They face charges of joining a terrorist group, breaching protest laws, blocking roads, disrupting traffic, possessing fireworks as well as flammable substances, attacking authorities and destroying public facilities.

The Muslim Brotherhood group was blacklisted by Egyptian authorities as "a terrorist organisation" last December and its members were also banned by a court ruling in April from running for presidential and parliamentary elections.

Most of Morsi loyalists are currently behind the bars, including Morsi himself and the Brotherhood top chief Mohamed Badie, over various charges including inciting violence.

Extremist groups have killed hundreds through several terrorist attacks against police and military personnel and premises since the military ousted Morsi.

Ex-military chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who led Morsi's ouster following anti-Brotherhood mass protests, was elected in June as Egypt's new president.